Lip balm tube system

ABSTRACT

A lip balm tube system including a container having a housing including an open top end, an inner-volume which contains a semi-soft cosmetic product such as lip balm, a content-level-indicator, and a lid, and a dispensing mechanism. The dispensing mechanism dispenses contents within the inner-volume. The content level indicator includes a transparent window which extends along a length of the housing of the container for viewing a relative content level of the contents within the inner-volume.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is related to and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/447,880 filed Jan. 18, 2017, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The following includes information that may be useful in understanding the present disclosure. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art nor material to the presently described or claimed inventions, nor that any publication or document that is specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to the field of dispensing containers and more specifically relates to a lip balm tube.

2. Description of Related Art

Lip balm is a wax-like substance applied topically to the lips of the mouth typically to moisturize and relieve chapped or dry lips. Lip balm provides a layer on the lip surface to seal moisture in lips and protect them from external exposure of dry air, cold temperatures, and wind. Many individuals use lip balm in a tube. Currently, there is no way to tell how much lip balm remains in the tube due to the solid packaging. Typically, the user only finds out that it is empty when the base portion becomes exposed or falls onto the ground. There is not sufficient notice of the tube being empty and therefore individuals are not able to replace it before it is empty. A suitable solution is desired.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,301,840 to Kai Sun relates to a tube dispenser capable of creating a suckback effect in the nozzle. The described tube dispenser capable of creating a suckback effect in the nozzle includes tubes have a view window and an elongated nozzle. The tubes can be made by blow molding or extrusion. The view window permits a person to determine the contents remaining in the tube and the nozzle provides for ease in dispensing.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known dispensing container art, the present disclosure provides a novel lip balm tube system. The general purpose of the present disclosure, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a container with a transparent window allowing a user to view the (relative) content levels within the container.

A lip balm tube system is disclosed herein. The lip balm tube system includes a container having a housing including an open top end, an inner-volume configured to contain a semi-soft cosmetic product, a content-level-indicator, and a lid, and a dispensing mechanism. The dispensing mechanism is housed within the housing and configured to dispense contents within the inner-volume. The housing with an exception of the content-level-indicator is non-transparent. The content level indicator comprises a transparent window which extends along a length of the housing of the container for viewing a relative content level of the contents within the inner-volume. The dispensing mechanism is coupled to a platform and is able to dispense the contents by moving the platform from a bottom-end of the container towards the open top-end of the container. The semi-soft cosmetic product such as lip balm is supported on a top-surface of the platform. The platform is positioned within the housing for supporting the semi-soft cosmetic product, the platform is visible through the transparent window as the platform is moved towards the open top end of the container.

For purposes of summarizing the invention, certain aspects, advantages, and novel features of the invention have been described herein. It is to be understood that not necessarily all such advantages may be achieved in accordance with any one particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein. The features of the invention which are believed to be novel are particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings and detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The figures which accompany the written portion of this specification illustrate embodiments and methods of use for the present disclosure, a lip balm tube system, constructed and operative according to the teachings of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the lip balm tube system during an ‘in-use’ condition, according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the lip balm tube system of FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the lip balm tube system of FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the lip balm tube system of FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the lip balm tube system of FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

The various embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein like designations denote like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As discussed above, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a dispensing container and more particularly to a lip balm tube system as used to improve the efficient use of a lip balm tube.

Generally speaking, the present invention involves a chap stick tube including a transparent strip on the tube allowing a user to see how much chap stick is remaining in the tube. The device allows a user to view the remaining contents of a container through a clear portion on the tube or container. The present invention provides a packaging option for lip balm that includes a transparent strip on the tube. It allows individuals to plan to replace their tube of lip balm with adequate notice. It offers a transparent portion directly on the tube for viewing the remaining contents. The present invention effectively ensures users will not run out of lip balm before purchasing a new tube. Lip Balm Tube provides individuals with a tube of lip balm that indicates when the contents of the tube are almost empty. The device is comprised of a lip balm tube with a transparent strip on the side of the tube. This strip allows the user to view the contents. The transparent strip can be added to the existing design of lip balm tubes.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings by numerals of reference, there is shown in FIGS. 1-5, various views of a lip balm tube system 100. FIG. 1 shows a lip balm tube system 100 during an ‘in-use’ condition 150, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As illustrated, the lip balm tube system 100 may include a container 110 having a housing 120 comprising an open top end 122, an inner-volume 126 configured to contain a semi-soft cosmetic product 10, a content-level-indicator 130, and a lid 134, and a dispensing mechanism 138. The content level indicator 130 comprises a transparent window 132 which is positioned and extends along a length of the housing 120 of the container 110 for viewing a relative content level of the contents within the inner-volume 126.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the lip balm tube system 100 of FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As above, the lip balm tube system 100 may include the container 110 having the housing 120 with the open top end 122, the inner-volume 126 configured to contain the semi-soft cosmetic product 10, the content-level-indicator 130, and the lid 134, and the dispensing mechanism 138. The dispensing mechanism 138 is housed within the housing 120 and configured to dispense contents within the inner-volume 126. The container 110 comprises the housing 120 having the open top end 122, the inner volume 126, the content-level-indicator 130, and the lid 134, and the dispensing mechanism 138. The lid 134 is removeable to expose the contents at the open top end 122.

Referring now to FIG. 3 showing a perspective view of the lip balm tube system 100 of FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As above, the lip balm tube system 100 may include the container 110 having the housing 120. The housing 120 with the exception of the content-level-indicator 130 is non-transparent. The container 110 may be rigid or flexible. The container 110 comprises a cylindrical profile. The contents are visible through the content-level-indicator 130 which is transparent. The content-level-indicator 130 allows a user to view when contents are running low and replace the empty container 110 with a new one.

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the lip balm tube system 100 of FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As above, the lip balm tube system 100 may include the container 110 and the dispensing mechanism 138 housed within the housing 120 of the container 110. The dispensing mechanism 138 is coupled to a platform 142 able to dispense the contents via moving the platform 142 from a bottom-end 112 of the container 110 towards the open top-end 122 of the container 110. The platform 142 is positioned within the housing 120 for supporting the semi-soft cosmetic product 10. The platform 142 is visible through the transparent window 132 as the platform 142 is moved towards the open top end 122 of the container 110. The semi-soft cosmetic product 10 is supported on a top-surface of the platform 142. The semi-soft cosmetic product 10 comprises a lip-product, which is preferably lip balm.

Referring now to FIG. 5 showing a perspective view of the lip balm tube system 100 of FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As above, the lip balm tube system 100 may include housing 120 and the transparent window 132. The transparent window 132 vertically extends from the bottom-end 112 of the container 110 towards the open top-end 122 of the container 110. The transparent window 132 comprises an elongated profile. The transparent window 132 is a continuous linear viewing opening. This enables users to see how much lip balm remains in the tube before it is empty.

The embodiments of the invention described herein are exemplary and numerous modifications, variations and rearrangements can be readily envisioned to achieve substantially equivalent results, all of which are intended to be embraced within the spirit and scope of the invention. Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientist, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. 

What is claimed is new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims:
 1. A lip balm tube system comprising: a container having; a housing including; an open top end; an inner-volume configured to contain a semi-soft cosmetic product; a content-level-indicator; and a lid; a dispensing mechanism is housed within said housing and configured to dispense contents within said inner-volume; wherein said container comprises said housing having said open top end, said inner volume, said content-level-indicator, and said lid, and said dispensing mechanism; and wherein said content level indicator comprises a transparent window positioned and extends along a length of said housing of said container for viewing a relative content level of said contents within said inner-volume.
 2. The lip balm tube system of claim 1, wherein said housing with an exception of said content-level-indicator is non-transparent.
 3. The lip balm tube system of claim 1, wherein said container is rigid.
 4. The lip balm tube system of claim 1, wherein said container is flexible.
 5. The lip balm tube system of claim 1, wherein said dispensing mechanism is coupled to a platform able to dispense said contents via moving said platform from a bottom-end of said container towards said open top-end of said container.
 6. The lip balm tube system of claim 5, wherein said transparent window vertically extends from said bottom-end of said container towards said open top-end of said container.
 7. The lip balm tube system of claim 6, wherein said transparent window comprises an elongated profile.
 8. The lip balm tube system of claim 7, wherein said transparent window is a continuous linear viewing opening.
 9. The lip balm tube system of claim 1, wherein said semi-soft cosmetic product comprises a lip-product.
 10. The lip balm tube system of claim 9, wherein said lip-product comprises lip balm.
 11. The lip balm tube system of claim 5, wherein said semi-soft cosmetic product is supported on a top-surface of said platform.
 12. The lip balm tube system of claim 11, wherein said platform is positioned within said housing for supporting said semi-soft cosmetic product, said platform is visible through said transparent window as said platform is moved towards said open top end of said container.
 13. The lip balm tube system of claim 1, wherein said lid is removeable to expose said contents at said open top end.
 14. The lip balm tube system of claim 1, wherein said container comprises a cylindrical profile.
 15. The lip balm tube system of claim 5, wherein said dispensing mechanism comprises a disk configured outside of said housing and able to be manipulated by a user to raise and lower said platform.
 16. The lip balm tube system of claim 5, wherein said disk is positioned at said bottom-end of said container.
 17. A lip balm tube system comprising: a container having; a housing including; an open top end; an inner-volume configured to contain a semi-soft cosmetic product; a content-level-indicator; and a lid; a dispensing mechanism is housed within said housing and configured to dispense contents within said inner-volume; wherein said semi-soft cosmetic product comprises a lip-product; wherein said lip-product comprises lip balm; wherein said container comprises said housing having said open top end, said inner volume, said content-level-indicator, and said lid, and said dispensing mechanism; wherein said container is rigid; wherein said container comprises a cylindrical profile; wherein said content level indicator comprises a transparent window positioned and extends along a length of said housing of said container for viewing a relative content level of said contents within said inner-volume; wherein said housing with an exception of said content-level-indicator is non-transparent; wherein said dispensing mechanism is coupled to a platform able to dispense said contents via moving said platform from a bottom-end of said container towards said open top-end of said container; wherein said dispensing mechanism comprises a disk configured outside of said housing and able to be manipulated by a user to raise and lower said platform; wherein said disk is positioned at said bottom-end of said container; wherein said semi-soft cosmetic product is supported on a top-surface of said platform; wherein said platform is positioned within said housing for supporting said semi-soft cosmetic product, said platform is visible through said transparent window as said platform is moved towards said open top end of said container; wherein said lid is removeable to expose said contents at said open top end; wherein said transparent window vertically extends from said bottom-end of said container towards said open top-end of said container; wherein said transparent window comprises an elongated profile; and wherein said transparent window is a continuous linear viewing opening. 